Review: Batman: Last Knight on Earth

Batman: Last Knight on Earth by Scott Snyder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There is this popular fan theory about Batman, saying that he's in fact a resident in a mental asylum. With all of his supervillains being doctors and other patients and staff that torment him in various ways.

I like that Scott Snyder's Last knight takes that premise and uses it as a red herring to set up the prologue of the story. The premise of this story is similar to that of Wonder Woman: Dead Earth, where instead of Diana, a suspiciously young Bruce wakes up into the irradiated post-apocalyptic ruins of earth.

Then setting out to uncover the mystery of how things got the way it is. Picking up along the way, the Joker, minus his body, like a rambling jack lantern in a glass case.

Although only three chapters long, we see Bruce traverse the ruins of a land, where several titanic events seem to have occurred which scarred the world in irreversible and often terrible ways. One after the others, unfathomable horrors, perversions of former wonders roam the land. A land, littered by the dead and decaying bodies of men, gods and eldritch abominations.

One aspect I liked about the world building, is how nothing everything is explained, or exposited. The dynamic duo of Batman and Joker's head are transient spectators, to battles which were over long ago. It makes you want to learn more of the history of this reality, and the choices which led to the current deplorable state.

After reading this, I got the similar vibes as Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth. Now I want to read an anthology set in the same world, with Batman travelling across the land with Joker's head, helping people and bringing back the hope of another better time.

Despite being all death, doom and gloom, this short series nonetheless ends in a positive note. With hope towards the future, and for the people. While it might not be everyone's cup of tea, I would recommend it for ardent Bat boys, and regular readers.

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